Official announcement on Micheal Haley’s recall from Connecticut (AHL)

NEW YORK, March 5, 2013 –New York Rangers President and General Manager Glen Sather announced today that the club has recalled forward Micheal Haley from the Connecticut Whale of the American Hockey League (AHL).

Haley, 26, notched a goal in Connecticut’s 3-2 win on Sunday at Bridgeport. He has registered nine goals and 12 assists for 21 points, along with 158 penalty minutes and a plus-five rating in 56 games with the Whale this season. He ranks fifth in the AHL with 18 fighting majors. He also leads the team and ranks 11th in the league in penalty minutes, and is tied for seventh on the Whale in goals. Haley has recorded four multi-point efforts, including a two-goal performance on February 10 at St. John’s. He tallied two assists on February 15 against Portland, establishing a career-high for assists in a single season with his 11th assist of the season. Haley registered 11 points in an 11-game span from January 23 against Adirondack to February 17 against Manchester, tallying five goals and six assists over the span.

The 5-10, 204-pounder has skated in 303 career AHL games in six seasons with Connecticut and Bridgeport, registering 49 goals and 45 assists for 94 points, along with 797 penalty minutes. He established AHL career-highs in goals (15), points (25) and shots on goal (101) last season with Bridgeport. Haley notched the game-winning goal while making his AHL debut on December 8, 2007, at Springfield.

The Guelph, Ontario native has also skated in 43 career NHL contests over three seasons with the New York Islanders, registering two goals and one assist, along with 151 penalty minutes. He registered his first career NHL point with a goal on February 11, 2011, against Pittsburgh, and made his NHL debut on April 10, 2010, at New Jersey. Haley was signed by the Rangers as a free agent on July 1, 2012. He was originally signed by the Islanders as an undrafted free agent on May 19, 2008.

Agreed. I’d much rather think our 12th forward is a waste tonight than see bags like Rinaldo (targeting unsuspecting players) and Hartnell (targeting smaller players) pull their typical bag act during the game.

how about the universe plays like gack-tastic tonight. I am so in the mood for a nice easy laugher. and for all these flyers wins, getting back to .500 and all, who have they beaten? Their road record is carcillo. Time for the rangers to adjust to life after the “hit.”

i have no issues with haley. word is out around the league. runs these smurfs (especially boyle–and full apologies to the original smurfs–both the cartoon and the on ice version) and you will beat them.

Since Perry & Getzlaf are both UFA at the end of the season, would moving Gabby and getting one of the two ANA UFA (preferably Perry) make sense for the NYR? Assuming they are looking to sign with a team other than ANA.

Vitaly: I will say the same thing I said a few days back. The *only* player in Hockey (including players we could trade for or sign after this 2013 season as an UFA) I move Gaborik for is Corey Perry. He has only put up 50 once but I think his style of play fits our system perfectly.

Getzlaf I don’t want. He’s way too streaky of a scorer and has epic goal droughts. He also has never scored more than 30. If the 50 goal potential isn’t there then it’s not worth it.

“To the pain,” means the first thing you lose will be your feet below the ankles, then your hands at the wrists, next your nose.

I wasn’t finished. The next thing you lose will be your left eye, followed by the right . . .

Wrong! Your ears you keep, and I’ll tell you why. So that every shriek of every child at seeing your hideousness will be yours to cherish, every babe that weeps at your approach, every woman who cries out: “Dear God, what is that thing?” will echo in your perfect ears. That is what “to the pain” means. It means I leave you in anguish, wallowing in freakish misery, forever.

Yes @CCCP@ if we had *The Prust* we wouldn’t be worried about Bickel/Halpern/Asham and we would have a guy that could slot on the 3rd line, kill penalties and mix it up with _anyone_ on the opposing squad. We also wouldn’t be concerned about Pow! on the 3rd line.

*Vitaly* – I think that Glen is already thinking about buying out Richards in 2014. There are a massive amount of UFA’s that year. So I think he’s looking to either slot one of our youngsters in as a second line Center (Miller?) and keep Stepan as an all time 1st line Center.

Re: Gaborik, I assume Glen is thinking how he can keep one of the few 40+ goal scorers at a price below $5M/Year. Thus, I think we either try to re-sign Gaborik (I have a feeling he goes out West) or use that money to get someone brilliant.

My personal opinion is that the Ducks are stuck. They either move Perry now or keep him, take a run at a cup, and lose him at the end of the season, regardless of whether they get a cup or not. Thus, I have previously taken the stance that moving Gaborik for Perry *now* is a smart move provided we can lock Perry up in some sort of extension (which would involve buying out Richards in 2014).

Manny,
I think it is more likely that Gabby gets moved, before Richards get bought out. you have to remember that Torts will have a lot to say about it, and we all know he loves Richards and only tolerates Gabby.

bull dog, they have to buy out Richards because of his contract. It has nothing to do with him as a player. They can’t pay him that much when he is 37+. They just can’t. They have to buy him out now since they won’t get another chance.

_bull dog, they have to buy out Richards because of his contract. It has nothing to do with him as a player. They can’t pay him that much when he is 37+. They just can’t. They have to buy him out now since they won’t get another chance._

I understand what you are all saying about the Richards buyout, but you are going to have to replace him. there is not a number 2 center in the organization. going to end up paying someone probably even more.

bull dog, Stepan is a #2 NHL center. Today. Richards is being paid to be our #1 and he just isn’t. The fact that there isn’t another viable #1 available isn’t a good reason to keep paying Richards like he is.

like the goonage for the flyers… never can be too ready. Remey noted that when he scratched Orr and the Fridge was running everybody including Jags. Orr made him pay the next game, with the all time best Ranger knock-out!!! Somebody gotta link it! I was sitting about 30yds away…… Priceless

Doodie,
you are right, Stepan is a number 2 center, but reality is that he has been the Rangers number 1 center for quite a bit of his career. he is there number 1 right now, and he was there number 1 for a large part of last season. my point on Richards is you are going to have to replace him. if you buy him out, you better be darn sure you can sign someone to replace him.

_I understand what you are all saying about the Richards buyout, but you are going to have to replace him. there is not a number 2 center in the organization._

They’re independent of each other. If Richards isn’t playing up to his contract and there’s no reason to expect improvement as he ages, you amnesty him. Philadelphia wouldn’t say “we don’t have another goalie in the organization, so we should just hang onto Bryzgalov for 7 more years”, right? Same logic. You’re opening a hole, but that hole can be closed.

_going to end up paying someone probably even more._

We can either pay someone half what Richards makes for the same mediocre production or we can try to pay a guy the same or more to produce like a near $7MM player. All options and risks are better than knowingly hanging onto a guy as he declines from a premature low.

So bull dog, your argument is that, if we buy out Richards we will have to replace him?

That’s like, more of, a fact? If we lose Richards we need another quality centerman at a reasonable cost. Maybe Stephen Weiss would be a good option since he’s coming off an injury plagued, down season and might need to prove himself.

Even doing something ridiculous, like paying Derek Roy $6.67MM per for 4 years, is better than paying Richards the same amount for those 4 years plus another 3 years. If you think of it like that, you realize just how bad (1) Richards has been and (2) his contract is and will be.

my argument is they are trying to win the cup in the next few years. if you buy out Richards, and want a number 1 center to replace him its going to cost you Richards money. I’m not saying I wouldn’t do it. I just don’t think it is as easy and clear cut as you guys.

Looking at UFAs that might actually be available (so no finger crossing for Getzlaf), I’d rather give Ribeiro or Andy McDonald a short term deal than hope Richards turns it around, and when those deals expire, you’ll have a much better idea of what you have in Stepan and Miller.

_my argument is they are trying to win the cup in the next few years. if you buy out Richards, and want a number 1 center to replace him its going to cost you Richards money. I’m not saying I wouldn’t do it. I just don’t think it is as easy and clear cut as you guys._

But it is. No one is saying you shouldn’t pay a #1 center the type of AAV Richards gets (or even more), we’re simply saying that if you pay a center that AAV, he has to perform like a #1. Richards isn’t close.

How can he not be bought out? His contract is essentially designed for getting bought out. Granted, it’s a bit early than expected, but if he’s only going to be a 40-50 point player next season then you have to get out from under that contract, even if he is not properly replaced

Put it this way, if they don’t buy out Richards in one of the next two summers, that contract is going to be painful and damaging for years. I think they give him one more season, unless he really stinks it up the rest of this season. Then you have to do it.

Carp, I’m not even sure waiting is a good option. You can’t risk him getting hurt near the end of next season. All it takes is one dumb Kaleta and we are stuck with Richards for the better part of a decade.

well that would be bad and good. good in that if has a good year, chances are the Rangers would be good as well. bad in that, that would probably be his last good year, and the Rangers could get fooled buy it.

I don’t think my attitude has changed… i just remember how much crap most of you gave me last year and the year before for sticking up for Avery who, imho, brought A LOT more to this franchise than Prust ever could… just returning the favor ;)

Doodie, Richards may be injured this season too so they wouldn’t be able to buy him out this summer either. They are taking chances now, they will do the same next season. I believe they’ll give him 2 more playoff chances. It’s not a forgone conclusion that his play won’t improve. If they knew it for sure, he’d be gone along with Redden already.

Anybody notice how absolutely terrific Bernier has been? Jonathan Quick and Jonathan Bernier might be the best goalie tandem in the NHL with Luongo/Schneider and Crawford/Emery being close seconds this season.

_Fair enough CCCP although I don’t remember this franchise being in an ECF game with Avery on the roster_

I thought it was Torts who took us there… or was it Vezina season by Hank? hhhmmmm… NO! IT WAS PRUST!

Though, i dont remember Prust being a factor in PO’s at all… all i remember Neals and Konopkas and Folignos running wild w/o any retribution…but yeah let’s build Prust a golden statute next to the MSG and write under it “Sell out”